Painting the power steering reservoir on a P5b

[gollop]

Hi everyone looking for a bit of advice.
Just about to drain and replace the filter in my 69 P5b power steering and thought. Hey for shits and giggles why not repaint the reservoir to make it nice and shiny.
The question being what paint should I use? I've touched up the reservoir in the past but then had the fluid kill the paint so any help appreciated. Also while its out is it worth changing all the steering pump lines? If so are they pretty standard or a job for Wadhams?

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[barryr]

I did same and as I had a can of Eastwood factory black knocking about I used that - but most other stuff in the bay I've had powder coated which on balance I would have preferred. I dipped the reservoir in rust remover for a few days having first paint stripped it and its holding up really well in paint. What I would not use nowadays is smooth hammerite - its seems to have lost the original formation and getting it to spray nicely through the standard nozzle (and not react) has become something of a dark art for me!

Like you I decided to replace the PS lines whilst there as they looked a little brittle but in truth there may have been no need to do so. Its a bit hard to refit to the top of the steering box if you have big hands but manageable. I used JRW replacements.

I also painted the front crossmember whilst there just to hold the brown stuff at bay.

Good luck in you project!

Barry

[gollop]

Thanks Barry yeah might go for powder coating. I tried some stop rust which is very similar to hammerite round and he rest of the engine bay but on the brake fluid res it didn’t like it. So probable powder coat might be the way to go. I’ll probable do both.

[richardlamsdale]

I repainted my reservoir in satin black car spray after dipping in rust remover for a few days and it seems OK - powder coating is probably best though. I also replaced the power steering hoses with Wadhams replacements, which fitted perfectly - they have the correct end-fittings including the 90 degree fitting the factory used at the steering box end.

[gollop]

Thanks, Richard yeah I might change the hoses as a perventative measure as the P5b is my daily drive and I have a policy that if I'm not sure how long it been there. Probably best to change it (especially rubber) lol

[johnwp5bcoupe]

Strip down to bare metal prime and 2k Satin Black it's 10+ years since I did mine still fine

[djm16]

There are (at least) two types of powder coating: polyester (more common, slightly flexible, moderately chemically resistant, highly UV resistant, relatively poor heat resistance) and epoxy (very physically robust, poor UV resistance.

I repainted my PS reservoir with polyester powder coat. It has held up well over 4 years. I expect that good quality 2k would be fine too.

The brake reservoir is a very different can of fluid. Of the various paints I have tried, the only one that has lasted at all is VHT engine enamel. You have to bake it for 1 hour at 100 C to get it to cure, then it is moderately resistant to brake fluid.

Caution with soaking in rust remover. Many are phosphoric acid based and will dissolve steel, and make the remainder brittle.

[barryr]

I use the Bilt Hamber rust remover - Deox C I think its called - mixed up in a bucket it lasts ages. Its only downside is its V. slow (warm temp helps) but then for me time is v limited on the car so a week can go by without me noticing giving it plenty of time to act.

I don't think its phosphoric acid based. I agree re using that kind though and have had several failures using it where flash-rusting is a major issue.